Surviving the Heat: Tips for Staying Cool and Safe

[Danger]

It was cold outside, but the temperature rised significantly when I went out, as I'm so hot I affect the average temperature of the local area.

Damn it, Greg! We need a smiley that denotes one trying to stifle a laugh to the point of exploding.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

But that was neither funny, nor well-written.

 

[Danger]

But that was neither funny, nor well-written.

Oh, pshaw... it was funny...

 

[drizzle]

I can handle extreme hot/cold weather, the only thing I can't stand is humidity! It feels just URGH

 

[turbo]

I can handle extreme hot/cold weather, the only thing I can't stand is humidity! It feels just URGH

That's what he have had all this week. High relative humidity. You can sweat, but it doesn't do any good. Breathing that mud is strenuous and unproductive, and if you have asthma, COPD, emphysema etc, it is worse.

 

[drizzle]

Still sucks turbo, even without having any of those you've mentioned... Btw, who's 'he'?

 

[turbo]

Oops! *we

 

[drizzle]

Hehe, it's okay, it proves I'm not feeling off yet!

 

[turbo]

Finally! The heat wave appears to have broken. We have 75 deg with a steady light rain. Hoping for dry air on the back side of this front...

 

[turbo]

This has to be the hottest summer ever in Maine! Every time we catch a little break, the "conveyor belt" revs up, bringing us hot humid air from the SW. Today, it is 90+ with unbearable humidity, with high ozone levels to boot. Everybody with respiratory problems needs to stay inside, hopefully with some AC.

 

[Evo]

I feel sorry for you up there. Here it's been running a few degrees below normal, which is much hotter than the last 4 years where it was running 10-20 degrees cooler than average in the summer.

 

[Andre]

Maybe try to export a bit of that heat to South America.

 

[turbo]

Maybe try to export a bit of that heat to South America.

I'd love to arrange at least a partial swap!

 

[leroyjenkens]

It was 103 yesterday here in Florida. I ran a mile yesterday and it wasn't so bad. The only time the heat bothers me is if it's hot when I'm trying to sleep. I can't sleep well in a hot room.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

It has been hot here in Long Beach but not terrible I don't think. I don't usually check weather news. It has been hot enough to be uncomfortable in my apartment though. I just went out and bought a small cheap air conditioning unit and suddenly the heat dies down. I knew that was going to happen. Its still useful though as I sleep during the day when it usually gets relatively hot anyway. I don't sleep well in heat either.

 

[lisab]

Fairly mild summer here in the Seattle area. Cloudy, mid 50s in the mornings, sunny and around 80 in the afternoon.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

How hot is it? 1.22 degrees F above the century avg.

Global land and ocean surface temperatures in the first half of 2010 were the warmest January-June on record, the federal climate service reported Thursday.

January-June temperatures averaged 57.5 degrees Fahrenheit — 1.22 degrees F above the 20th Century average, according to the National Climatic Data Center. Its records go back to 1880.

That broke the previous record of 1.19 degrees F above average set in 1998...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38263788/

We've had a couple of weeks in the nineties, with a few days just below 100, but all in all we are having a pretty nice summer here. Expected highs around 80 degrees this week.

We had a lot of late rain. Our creek was running until about July 14th, which I think is the latest we've ever seen it running. Normally it dries up about mid June.

 

[khemist]

In the bay area it has been perfect. ranging from 65-85 degrees so far, couldn't be better...

 

[Danger]

In the bay area it has been perfect. ranging from 65-85 degrees so far, couldn't be better...

I like heat, but... holy ****! I'm quite comfortable at anywhere from -30 to +40, but holy ****! 85° will boil the eyeballs out of a rhinoceros. Is there even an area on this planet, aside from volcanic vents, that ever achieves that temperature?

 

[turbo]

Another nasty day! I only got about 1/3 or less of my garlic pulled before I gave into that queasy, nasty feeling that precedes a real heat stroke. Once again, it's about 90 in the shade with high humidity, so I'm sitting in the house with the AC blasting away. My electric bill will be a doozy!

 

[jtbell]

We haven't had many really sizzling days (>100F) so far this summer, but we've had a lot more days >90F than usual. Sometime during the past week one of the TV weathermen in Charlotte (somewhat north of us) commented that they had 44 days at >90F so far this summer, compared to a normal 20 or so. And we haven't even reached August yet, which is normally the hottest month of the year.

 

[Evo]

I just read that cooler air is heading to the NE.

From weather.com

Drier conditions should build in from northwest to southeast as a cold front pushes through. Once the front passes by the showers and thunderstorms should come to an end.

Behind that cold front northern New England, most of New York and western Pennsylvania should have a nice afternoon. Mostly clear skies, low humidity and pleasant temperatures are expected through week's end.

 

[turbo]

I hope! The weather-man has been promising us a Canadian high for some time now, and it never materializes. Just more humid ozone-laden crap from the south and west. I have never been through a hotter summer than this. I have a lot of outside stuff to do, but it's just not happening.

 

[brainstorm]

Trick to appreciate summer heat: imagine it is a freezing winter and you're getting all the free heat you want.

Tip#2: desensitize yourself to the heat by keeping your indoor thermostat set to as high a temperature as you can tolerate. The more you can raise your comfort zone, the less extreme the outdoor temperature will seem in comparison.

 

[Danger]

I hope! The weather-man has been promising us a Canadian high for some time now

Are you referring to "BC bud", or still discussing the weather? If the former, remember to take no more than 2 hoots and put it out. Any more than that, and you will be severely messed up.

 

[turbo]

Trick to appreciate summer heat: imagine it is a freezing winter and you're getting all the free heat you want.

Tip#2: desensitize yourself to the heat by keeping your indoor thermostat set to as high a temperature as you can tolerate. The more you can raise your comfort zone, the less extreme the outdoor temperature will seem in comparison.

I spent over 20 years in the pulp and paper industry, with 4 years as a process chemist in a pulp mill, and 6 years as the lead operator of the world's most advanced (at the time) and probably hottest paper machine. I spent another 10 years or so as a consultant/troubleshooter on paper machines and boilers and steam systems all over the east and southern US. I have managed to cope with extreme heat! Now I have respiratory problems, though, and I can't tough it out like I used to. When you can't breathe, nothing else matters much.

 

[Office_Shredder]

I like heat, but... holy ****! I'm quite comfortable at anywhere from -30 to +40, but holy ****! 85° will boil the eyeballs out of a rhinoceros. Is there even an area on this planet, aside from volcanic vents, that ever achieves that temperature?

Fahrenheit dude. Fahrenheit

 

[VeeEight]

Fahrenheit dude. Fahrenheit

Sounds like he took more than 2 hoots

 

[brainstorm]

I spent over 20 years in the pulp and paper industry, with 4 years as a process chemist in a pulp mill, and 6 years as the lead operator of the world's most advanced (at the time) and probably hottest paper machine. I spent another 10 years or so as a consultant/troubleshooter on paper machines and boilers and steam systems all over the east and southern US. I have managed to cope with extreme heat! Now I have respiratory problems, though, and I can't tough it out like I used to. When you can't breathe, nothing else matters much.

Well, your respiratory problems might be due to actual physical causes but I think many people's are psychosomatic. Usually, I take the fact that people react defensively against my suggestion to acclimate as an indication that they have some intense psychological aversion to having to deal with temperature discomfort. Some people probably have no choice but to air condition at a level low enough to prevent them from health problems, but that is actually a detriment to them, I think, insofar as it sensitizes them to warmer temperatures - which could result in a stronger reaction in the event that their a/c breaks or they are otherwise unable to get access to cool air-temperature.

If you live on a boat, it's a good idea to practice swimming - and similarly if you live in an area where temperatures can get into the 90s or above, it is a good idea to practice acclimating to as little a/c as you can stand. I've been doing this for a number of years and I don't really become uncomfortable indoors until @90F. I do use fans, though, to keep the air moving. Outside I can comfortably bike or walk anywhere in the 90s.

 

[Danger]

When you can't breathe, nothing else matters much.

Roger that, big time. My epidermis loves the heat, but colder air provides a denser intake charge (ie: more oxygen per inhalation).
Hell of choice there: breathe and freeze or choke and bake.